


In the Promise of Rising

by MarvelDreamer



Series: The Sadness of Soldiers (Oneshots) [9]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, BAMF Niki | Nihachu, Bakery, Bread, Crying, Fire, Hurt No Comfort, Lonliness, Memories, Niki | Nihachu Needs a Hug, Niki | Nihachu-centric, Phoenixes, and cry, i have to get to band in ten minutes, i sure dont, she could be a hybrid who knows, so just take this, well I mean kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 22:40:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30062625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarvelDreamer/pseuds/MarvelDreamer
Summary: Niki misses the past, but not enough to let it keep her from striving for a better future. So why is she stuck in the present?She cuts her ties, but it makes the flames all the more painful.
Relationships: Cara | CaptainPuffy & Niki | Nihachu, Niki | Nihachu & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Niki | Nihachu & Wilbur Soot
Series: The Sadness of Soldiers (Oneshots) [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2115954
Comments: 1
Kudos: 31
Collections: DSMP Big Bang Bootcamp





	In the Promise of Rising

**Author's Note:**

> HEY DISCORD, HEY AO3 READERS WHO STUMBLED UPON THIS AND HAVE NO IDEA WHATS GOING ON
> 
> anyway have an update while you wait for me to write on face reality, i suppose
> 
> (hey hey what are characters u want lil stories about imma have a lot)

The sun rose that morning on a solemn land. It wasn’t the sun’s fault, though, was it? No, it wasn’t the sun’s fault that it’s children no longer looked forward to light outside of the window, it wasn't the sun’s fault that the light it so happily gave only served to provide sorrow at the prospect of living another day. And yet, after all the fists and arrows they’d shown the sun, it kept rising to give them light to survive in a world where no one else wanted them to.

It wasn’t warm. The sun had lost its warmth a long time ago, it seemed. It was cold and the ground was dusted in a light layer of snow, but Niki didn’t feel it. She didn’t feel anything, it seemed, nowadays, but she didn’t feel cold.

Flames licked the ground at her feet as she pulled a cloak tighter around her shoulders. It wasn’t even her cloak, really, but it along with the fire kept her from shivering. 

Her mind was filled with memories, but she didn’t want them.

_ Tommy barged into the building, letting the door slam behind him as usual, yelling and loud and happy. They were all happy back then. What had happened? Had the times changed, or had they? _

_ “Niki!” He yelled. “I beat Wilbur today, I get the cookie you promised!” _

_ Wilbur’s laugh sounded from the back room and Niki turned to smile at Tommy. “No you didn’t, silly. He took a shortcut, but I’ll give you a cookie anyway, don’t tell him.” _

_ She could still hear Wilbur’s offended objection mumbled through a mouthful of fresh chocolate chip cookies, could still feel the grin that pulled at the corners of her mouth, could still see the remains of flour in Tommy’s hair when she’d finished ruffling it. _

Niki didn’t notice when she started crying, but her cheeks were wet. 

Why was she crying? It wasn’t as if the remains of her past deserved any more crying over. She'd loved it then, but what good did it do her now? It just made what she needed to do more painful. It made the days ahead of her seem dreary and so, so lonely.

_ Tubbo walked into the bakery. His shoulders were weighed down and his eyes looked weary, but when he saw Niki, he smiled. “Hey, Niki. How are you?” _

_ She tried not to let her stress show. “I’m doing okay.” Taxes were due soon. She didn’t have enough money to pay Schlatt. “Everything alright with you?” _

_ Tubbo said yes, but Niki knew it was a lie. They always lied to each other, those days, but they swiftly moved on to topics that they didn’t need to lie about for the other’s good. _

_ Moments like that were common, because although times were tough and money thin, they could heal just a little bit together, with a plate of scones and hot chocolate because they didn’t like the taste of coffee. _

Niki struck another match and threw it onto the growing flames, watching as they rose higher and higher. She was sure someone would see, but the street she was on was empty.

Everyone had left. A long time ago, it seemed. The valleys echoed in every small sound, and when you walked, the life was sucked out of you. 

Everyone had abandoned it. Abandoned her.

_ She tied an apron around her waist and began to tie her hair up, ready to start a long day of baking, when a pair of arms circled around her waist.  _

_ Puffy leaned her head on Niki’s shoulder from behind, and Niki giggled. “Your hair is ticking my neck, stop it!” _

_ They’d laughed together, before sitting down and having a cup of tea and watching the sunrise together on a cute little window seat that Puffy had made herself. That had been a good time, but it wouldn’t last. Nothing good ever did. _

The cloak fell off of her shoulders, but she didn’t move to get it off of the ground. With it’s rips and tears and fraying hem, a little dirt wouldn’t do it any harm. 

Although it was cold, she didn’t care. If she shook a bit, so be it. A little cold was nothing compared to what she’d been through. A little cold was nothing compared to the harsh silence that she’d been given in all of the tense war meetings. A little cold was nothing, and she kept repeating it. Maybe one day it’d be true. Maybe some day she’d be okay, once this was all over.

_ Flames made her skin appear more orange as the tree burned, and for a second, the sounds of war and the screams of death escaped her. For a second, she could pretend as if she didn’t notice Ranboo watching her with tears in his eyes. For a second, she could pretend that she was back at a small campfire roasting marshmallows and singing a catchy song. _

_ She held out her hands to steal some of the heat. It was cold, although the scent of gunpowder burned as she breathed the air. This had to happen, because Eret was right. L’manburg just was never meant to be. _

Niki leaned down to pick up the cloak, wiping her nose on her shirt sleeve. When she stood up, she put it back on, and then she turned as the fire licked the sky and reached for the clouds. She rested a hand on her sword while she walked, thinking about the task she needed to do. It was necessary for the return of a more peaceful time. She paused, though. Not for long, just for a beat, but she paused.

As she left, she swore that she caught a hint of the smell of freshly baked bread in the air and a whisper of laughter that used to echo down the roads.

Niki kept walking. Those times were gone, and they had forgotten her, so she was going to burn it all down.

And yet, the smell of bread seemed to linger, even as the ashes grew cold in the promise that she’d rise from them some day, a phoenix that they’d never make the mistake of overlooking again.


End file.
